It seems to me that you are not wearing any goggles. Is that correct?
Yes it is correct.
I didn't notice that. But since that's the case...I will suggest that you do wear some...especially for the open water. Not for any reason like to protect your eyes or anything (although that would be important). But because, especially for new swimmers, having clear vision in the water just seems to make you more comfortable in the water. And, it has always been my observation that a new swimmer being comfortable in the water seems to contribute to a better stroke.
That being said...I do know experienced pool, and open-water swimmers that go 'sans goggle.' But "experienced" is the key word there.
Dan
I think overall if you started out as a relative beginner with regular training only about 10 months ago, and mostly on your own, you've made great strides! You seem to have read a lot and gained knowledge about swimming, had a video analysis done, and come to enjoy and love the sport. Elements you need to continue to work on include improving your current kicking technique, as others have mentioned - this is a detriment to your continued progress. You also need to work on improving your balance and symmetry - learning bilateral breathing to ensure that you have balanced strength and stability on both sides of the body, and also learning how to keep the vertical axis of your body still while rotating around the axis.
All of these improvements need to be worked on more in the pool, as opposed to the open water. Wearing goggles is very important, as advised, because they allow you to focus more on your stroke without the discomfort of water in your eyes and reduced vision.
Although it's easier to make stroke critiques, the more difficult part is learning exactly how to implement technical corrections into your routine training in order to improve your stroke. Ideally, this should be done with a coach, someone who understands your specific needs and who can help devise workouts that will combine technique work with increased conditioning so that you have a good balance of both. Regardless of your level, you always have to continuously work on perfecting your stroke while also developing conditioning. A good coach can help you maintain this balance and maximize the use of your training time. Good luck!
If your goggles are giving you issues in terms of difficulty seeing when you are sighting, you can also try out some anti-fog solutions. These are my favorites: www.swimspire.com/.../
In terms of your scissor kick tendency, I have taken a screenshot so you can see it here more clearly.
11870
Whether you are sighting or not, an exaggerated scissor kick like yours causes you to lose momentum, essentially like putting on the brakes in the middle of your swim. You can practice the Tarzan drill (also called Head Up or Polo drill) to work on maintaining a continuous, narrow kick even while you are sighting. Good luck!
Just my two cents worth. Pool video is really imperative.
Just asked and confirmed that the school pool I use really does not allow us to take video inside.
